Saturday, March 17, 2007

You gotta serve somebody-Bob Dylan

Friends. What is a good friend? Is it someone you do for, or who does for you?

This is an afghan from a good friend of mine. Carol, the one who is learning to knit. Her mil is old and can't finish this afghan, so she gave it to me. She wanted to find a good home for it. Well...... I am not really into Red Heart acrylic, but maybe one of you darling knitters out there knows of someone who needs and can finish a beautiful throw.

Carol also has given me a pot of daffodils. Daffys are my favorite flower. I have another friend named Ann, she is childless and single, who has adopted us as her Roanoke family. If she even finds out we are ill, such as when we had the dynamic duos of flu (respiratory and the OTHER), she is the 1st to go to Panera Bread and buy us chicken soup and baguette.

I aspire to be a good friend to people. Not just the casual kind. Arranging food for people, going to the hospital with them in a health crisis, fixing a simple meal for someone sick or with a new baby. I feel like this is what God has called me to do in this lifetime. Share myself with others what He has given me.

I have lost a friend recently, and so thoughts of what friendship is weigh heavily on me. What do you do when something happens in a friendship? When there is disagreement? I don't have the wisdom for that and I continually pray for the grace to be a friend. A real friend. A real friend lays down their life for the one they love. Laying down a life can look different than just making sure everybody 'feels OK'. Laying down a life is sacrifice. Sacrifice means losing something. The loss can be money, time, a reputation, respect of others...... Some of you out there REALLY know what I mean. What is the cost of real love? What is real love? Romance? No, laying down your life for your friend. The best example I have is Jesus (you say 'Not Again!!' , I can almost hear you). Check it out....

"Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." John 13:1 Then he girded his loins, washed their feet, and took their sin to the cross and nailed it there. That is a friend. A friend pays your bill for you.

So, consider these rhetorical questions. Just think about them. Who do you love? Who do you serve? Who would you spend your last night of earthly life with? Would you serve them that night, or expect them to serve you? Serious stuff for a fluffy knitting blog. cate

True friends are hard to come by these days. The value of friendships have lessened and people don't make time for one another. Finding that kindred spirit sometimes can be a lifelong hunt. Good things do come by sacrifice. Giving is sacrificial but the result of blessing goes both ways.

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. Friends are so hard to come by so I encourage you to keep praying, especially if this person is still with us. And just the little bit I know about you shows me that you have the makings of an incredible friend. Just so you know :)